Six top Imran Khan aides barred from leaving Pakistan, their names added to 'stop list'

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has placed the names of the six persons on the ‘stop list' on Sunday after Imran Khan's ouster as prime minister by the joint Opposition through a no-confidence vote.

Islamabad: The names of six key aides of ousted prime minister Imran Khan have been put on a “stop list” by Pakistan's top investigation agency to prevent them from leaving the country, according to a media report on Monday.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) placed the names of the six on the ‘stop list' on Sunday after Khan's ouster as prime minister by the joint Opposition through a no-confidence vote, Geo News reported, citing sources. Being on the list bars them from travelling abroad without permission.

Khan's former principal secretary Azam Khan, ex-special assistant on political communication Shahbaz Gill, ex-adviser on interior and accountability Shahzad Akbar, Director-General Punjab Gohar Nafees, and DG Federal Investigation Agency Punjab Zone Mohammad Rizwan's names have been added to the list, the report said.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's head of social media Arsalan Khalid's name has also been added to the list. The FIA introduced a system of ‘stop list' in 2003 to stop unwanted people from trying to leave the country in the shortest possible time as placing someone's name on the Exit Control List (ECL) takes a long time. 

The people on the ECL are prohibited from leaving Pakistan. Despite the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Government's hectic efforts to avoid voting on the no-confidence motion against Khan, the joint Opposition succeeded in its month-long efforts to oust Khan from the Prime Minister's office as 174 members of the 342-member National Assembly voted against him after a day of high drama.

Khan, 69, became the first premier in the country's history to be sent home after losing the trust of the House.